Chillies are a part of traditions across the world. Japanese samurai used chilli peppers in order to reduce the amount of fear they felt: Eating them as part of a ritual meal before battles made them feel invincible
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Chilli peppers are known for their medicinal and health properties. The chilli, actually, is a fruit pod from the plant belonging to the nightshade family (Solanaceae), within the genus, capsicum.
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Chilli pepper contains an impressive list of plant derived chemical compounds that are known to have disease preventing properties.
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Chillies contain health benefiting alkaloid compound in them, capsaicin, which gives them strong spicy pungent character. Early laboratory studies on experimental mammals suggest that capsaicin has anti-bacterial, anti-carcinogenic, analgesic and anti-diabetic properties. It also found to reduce lDl cholesterol levels in obese individuals.
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Chillies contain a good amount of minerals like potassium, manganese, iron and magnesium. Potassium is an important component of cell and body fluids that helps controlling heart rate and blood pressure.
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Chilli powder acts as an excellent antioxidant due to the presence of vitamin C in abundance. Vitamin C is essential for strengthening the immune system, healing injuries and fighting against damage caused by free radicals which can otherwise increase the chances of developing harmful health conditions like cancer and heart disease.
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By enhancing the metabolism rates, chilli powder brings relief to nasal congestion and opens lung airways, thus, reducing the symptoms of asthma and wheezing. Chilli powder lessens the effects of chronic congestion amongst heavy drinkers.
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Chilli powder lowers inflammation of lungs and emphysema, which occurs due to cigarette smoking that contains benzopyrene. This is known for eliminating vitamin A from the body.
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Chilli powder enhances the flow of fresh blood to the site of infections. This fresh blood fights against the infection while the leukocytes and white blood cells battle against the viruses.
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The hottest chilli in the world is the Naga Jolokia which read 8,55,000 in the Scoville Scale. Naga Jolokia has replaced Mexican chili Red Savina Habanero which scales 5,57,000 in Scoville units. The Naga Jolokia is found in hilly terrain Tezpur town of Assam.
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You can dry, freeze or smoke the chillies to preserve them. Do not forget to break the stalks. This will preserve both green chilli and red chilli for longer time. You can store them in airtight container and keep it away from heat. Chillies can also be preserved by canning them. Green chillies can be preserved and prevented from turning red by removing the stalk and storing them in dry bags.
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The Mexican ristras is the oldest traditional method of drying the chillies. Mexicans tie the chillies with cotton string also called ristras. There are many different methods of making Mexican ristras.
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The chillies could be tied in a cluster, two three chillies,or just single chilli per knot. When hung Mexican ristras look so beautiful, that it is used for decorative purpose, too.
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In ancient India, black peppercorn, triphala, timur and pippali were the source of hotness in cooking. Chilli pepper was introduced to India only about 500 years back by Portuguese and Spanish traders.
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In Hungary, chillies form part of the national spice. Paprika, which is made from chilli seeds and dry fruit ground up together, is the basis of goulash, a recipe which mixes meat and spices and which is famous throughout Eastern Europe.
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Japanese samurai used chilli peppers in order to reduce the amount of fear they felt: eating them as part of a ritual meal before battles made them feel invincible. Even those who practice karate often eat them before a fight.
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Amongst the world’s most common foods by quantity, chillies come second only to salt.
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Zulu zulu peri peri is the name of very spicy African sauce. Containing no preservatives, but packed full of chillies and tomatoes, in Africa its recipe has been handed down from generation to generation for over 400 years.